Draft-rigging.



No. 692,200. Patentedjlan. 28, I902.

L. A. HUEBR I DRAFT niasme.

(Application filed Jan. 12, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Louis A Hoerr Wm w w w fi ferred to that through-bolts passing through.

UNITED STATES Louis A. noERR, or

PATENT OFFICE.

sT. Louis, MISSOURI.

DRAFT- RIGGING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,200, dated January 28, 1902. Application filed January 12, 1901. Serial No. 42,970. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known'that 1, Louis A. HOERR, a citizen ol the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Draft-Rigging, of which the following is such a full, clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to draft-rigging for railway-cars, and more particularly to that class of draft-rigging known as tandem or double-spring draft-rigging.

The principal object of my invention is to so construct a draft-rigging of the class rethe straps may be dispensed with, thus avoiding the weakening of the straps and breakage of the bolts.

Another object of my invention is to provide improved means for securing the removable part of the guide-plate in position.

Still another object of my inventionis to provide improved means for preventing the spreading of the straps. 1 My invention consists in part in the combination, with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried thereby, follower-plates between said straps, draft-springs between said followerplates, and a pair of stops carried by said straps and bearing against said followerplates.

My invention also consists in part in the combination, with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried by said draw-bar, draft-springs of which are described in the following specification, and pointed out in the claims affixed hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a draft-rigging made in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is atop plan view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal longitudinal section. Fig.4 is a vertical 10ngitudinal section,on an enlarged scale, showing somemodifications of construction. Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is an isometric projection of one of the guide-plates.

Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in' the several views of the drawings.

10 is the car-decking; 11, the end sill; 12, the sheathing; 13, the dead-wood; 14, the coupler-bearing.

represents the draft-timbers, and 16 the draw-bar.

The above-described parts are of the usual construction. .Thedraw-bar 16 is provided with shoulders 18, against which rest the downturned ends 19 of a pair of straps 20. The straps 20 are secured to the draw-bar 16 by means of rivets or bolts 21. The ends of the straps 20 may be turned over to form straps 22, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or the two straps may be connected by an integral portion 23, as shown in Fig. 4. Between the straps 20 arefour follower-plates 25, 26, 27, and 28, respectively. Each of the follower plates is provided with a central boss 29. The follower-plates are arranged in two pairs, the plates and 26 forming one pair and the plates 27 and 28 the other pair. Between the plates 25 and 26 isa draft-spring 30 and an auxiliary draft-spring 31, and between the 1 plates 27 and 28 is a draft-spring 32 andan auxiliary draftspring 33. The auxiliary draft-springs 3land 33 surround the bosses 29 and the draft-springs 30 and 32 surround the auxiliary springs 31 and 33. Between the follower-plates 26 and 27 are two stops 35, carried by the straps 20. These stops 35 are preferably formed integral with the straps'20, as shown in Fig. 1. cured to the said straps by means of bolts or rivets 36, as shown in Fig. 4. In case the stops 35 are formed integral with the straps, as shown in Fig. 1, all weakening of the straps They may, however, be seby means of through-bolts, such as have heretofore been used to transmit the strain from the straps to the springs, is prevented. While the use of bolts or rivets, as shown in Fig. 4, will somewhat weaken the straps, still it contains many of the valuable features of my invention, because these bolts or rivets are not subjected to a shearing strain, as a throughbolt would be subjected to when for any reason, such as unevenness of the parts, one of the straps has a greater strain exerted upon it than the other.

40 represents two guide-plates which are secured to the draft-timbers 15 and preferably set in the said timbers a slight distance, as shown in Fig. 3. The guide-plates 40 are held in position against the draft-timbers 15 by means of bolts 41, in the usual manner. The guide-plates 40 receive the ends of the follower plates 25, 26, 27, and 28, as best shown in Fig. 3. The plates and 28 bear against the ends of the guide-plates, while the plates 26 and 27 bear against columns 42, preferably formed integral with the said guide-plates. Thefollower-plates are held in the guide-plates at the top by means of flanges 43. It has been usual heretofore to provide the lower sides of the guide-plates with similar flanges, which are made removable to allow the insertion of the follower-plates, these removable flanges being held in position by means of bolts. These bolts, however, are

liable to become broken, as the nuts work loose, thus allowing the follower-plates and springs to drop out of the draft-rigging. In my construction I provide the guide-plates with integral flanges below, which are provided with openings 44, Fig. 6, to allow the insertion of the follower-plates,th us leavin gone or more integral supports 45, which support the movable plates or bars 46, on which the followerplates move. preferably provided with ribs 47, Figs. 5 and 6, which prevent lateral movement of the draft-springs 30 and 32. The guide-plates are provided with lugs 50, through which pass bolts 51. The bolts 51 are provided with guide-bars 52, which bear against the straps 20. These guide-bars 52 may either entirely surround the bolts 51, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or they may be simply provided with a groove, in which the bolts 51 lie, as shown in Fig. 4.. In case the straps 20 are formed separately, as shown in Fig. 1, I prefer to use two of these bolts and guide-bars above and two below the straps. If, however, the straps are formed integral, as shown in Fig. 4, the rear guide-bars and bolts may be dispensed with, as the integral bar 23 will hold the rear ends of the straps from being forced apart. I preferably pass through both the guide-plates 40 and the draft-timbers 15 a central throughbolt to aid the bolts 41 in holding the said guide-plates in position.

In assembling the parts of my draft-rigging the follower-plates with the springs between them are first forced up through the open- The guide-plates 40 are also ings 44 in the lower side of the guide-plates 43, and the plates or bars 46 are then inserted, thus holding the said follower-plates and springs in position. The straps may then be placed in position and the bolts 51 and guidebars 52 applied to hold the straps in position. The construction of my draftrigging not only prevents weakening of the straps by means of through-bolts to communicate the strain from them to the springs, but it also has other valuable features. One of these is that when pressure is applied against the draw-bar the tendency of the straps is to spread. This forces the straps firmly against the guide-bars 52, thus causing great friction between the straps and guide-bars. This friction tends to resist the pressure, and thus aids the springs, so that the draft-rigging can resist a greater pressure in proportion to the size of the springs than one of ordinary construction.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried thereby, a pair of follower-plates between said straps, draft-springs bearing against said followerplates, and a stop carried by each of said straps and situated between said followerplates.

2. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried thereby, a pair of follower-plates between said straps, draft springs between said followerplates, and a stop formed integral with each of said straps and arranged between said followerplates.

3. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried thereby and unconnected at or near their central parts, a pair of stops carried by said straps at or near their central parts, a pair of follower-plates between said straps and bearing against said stops, and draft-springs bearing against said follower-plates.

4. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried thereby and unconnected at or neartheir central parts, a pair of stops formed integral with said straps at or near their central parts, a pair of fol lower-plates bearing against said stops, and draft-springs bearing against said follower plates.

5. In a draft-riggin g, the combination with a draw-bar, of apair of straps carried thereby and unconnected at or near theircentral parts, a pair of stops carried by said straps at or near their central parts, a pair of follower plates bearingagainst said stops,draft-springs bearing against said follower plates, and means for preventing said straps from spreading at or near their central parts.

6. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar,of a pair of straps carried thereby, follower-plates between said straps, draftsprings arranged between said followerplates, guide-plates for said follower-plates, and means carried by said guide-plates for preventing the spreading of said straps at or near their central portions.

7. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, followerplates between said straps, draftsprings between said follower-plates, guideplates for said follower-plates, and bolts connecting said guide-plates for preventing the spreading of said straps at or near their central portions.

8. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried thereby, follower-plates between said straps, draftsprings between said follower-plates, a pair of guide-plates for said follower-plates, bolts connecting said between said bolts and straps for preventing the spreading of said straps.

9. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried thereby, followerplates between said straps, draftsprings between said follower-plates, and a pair of pivotally-mounted members,one above and the other below said straps, for clamping I said straps.

o follower springs of a pair of straps carried thereby,

guide-plates, and guide-bars of guide-plates for said follower-plates, a pair of pivotally-mounted members,one below and the other above said straps, carried by said guide-plates and clamping said straps.

11. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, of a pair of straps carried thereby, follower plates between said straps, draftsprings between said follower-plates, a pair of guide-plates for said follower-plates, bolts connecting said guide-plates, and guide-bars between said bolts and straps and rotatably around said bolts for clamping said straps.

12. In a draft-rigging, the combination with a draw-bar, of apair of straps carried thereby, draft springs and follower plates between said straps, guide-plates for said followerplates, columns dividing each of said guideplates into two compartments, a pair of lugs intermediate of the length of each guideplate on the lower side, and'a pair of supy porting-plates for each guide-plate carried by said In gs and free to be removed laterally from said guide-plates.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal in the presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS A. I-IOERR'. [L. s]

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BRYSON, JESSIE R. WATKINS. 

